


Off To See The Wizard

by Jacie_popslash (Jacie)



Category: NSYNC, Popslash
Genre: Actors, Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Actors, Beer, Jealousy, M/M, Pizza, Sports, Theatre
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-22
Updated: 2003-12-22
Packaged: 2018-01-02 10:42:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1055826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacie/pseuds/Jacie_popslash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The guys are in a community theater group. Justin gets the lead and Chris gets jealous.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Off To See The Wizard

Chris was pissed. He’d been with the community theater longer than almost anyone. And this was just a cold slap in the face. Scowling, he tugged the casting sheet off the wall and stomped through the theater. Everyone stayed out of his way. No one messed with Chris when he was pissed.

He stormed into the director’s small office, slamming the list onto the desk. “Dammit Angelo! What the hell is this? Who the hell is this Justin,” Chris paused long enough to grab the sheet, stare at the last name then toss the sheet down again. “Who the hell is this Justin Freakin’ Timberlake? Huh? Some boy toy you picked up at the mall? What is he? Tall? Blond? Blue-eyed?”

Angelo raised his eyebrows.

“Yeah, I know your type. This isn’t fair and you know it. I’ve paid my dues. I deserve to get the lead in this.”

“Chris, darling. You’re just not quite. Right. For that part.”

“I deserve better than some tiny bit part with no song. I don’t even get to sing!”

Angelo took a deep breath. He knew actors were temperamental, but Chris still tested his limits. Constantly. Chris could act. Chris could sing. Chris could dance. Chris just couldn’t comprehend that he wasn’t *perfect* to play every lead and when something wasn’t to his liking, he let Angelo know about it. “Chris. It’s not a bit part. What is the name of the play?”

“Angelo!”

“Say it Chris. What’s the name of the play?”

Dropping his eyes to the floor Chris mumbled, “The Freakin’ Wizard Of Oz.”

“You almost said that right. The Wizard Of Oz, is the correct answer. Now what part did I give you?”

“The Freakin’ Wizard Of Oz.”

“This time I will allow the ‘Freakin’ in the description, but my point, darling, is that you have the title role in the play. Not a bit part, dear. Title. Role. Now go hang that casting list back up.”

“But,”

“Go!”

Leaving the room, Chris mumbled, “Freakin’ Wizard Of Oz,” as he stomped away.

“I can always cast you as Toto, if you’d prefer,” Angelo called after him.

“At least I’d get more stage time,” Chris yelled back. “And I’d probably even get to sing.”

Angelo shook his head. Chris was always pissed when he didn’t get the lead.

Chris read the names as he walked. Dorothy had gone to whoever this Justin Timberlake was. JC had been cast as the Scarecrow, Lance as the Tinman and Joey as the Cowardly Lion. Chris shrugged. That’s exactly how he would have cast them. But how did this Justin get the freakin’ lead and how did he get stuck playing Oz? Bit part. Beneath him really. Hmmm. He did need something beneath him. He needed a fine man beneath him.

The rest of the troupe were all waiting patiently as Chris returned and rehung the list. They were used to this. The one thing everyone knew for sure, was that Chris had not been given the lead. He always threw these little hissy fits when he didn’t get the lead. So, most of the time.

Chris stomped away and found a seat in the auditorium. Lance and JC were nearby, in each other’s arms, liplocked together like Siamese twins. Joey meandered over to Chris, grabbing him in a headlock.

“No lead for the Chrismeister,” the Italian declared.

“Back off,” Chris pouted.

Joey chuckled, releasing Chris. “Good thing for you that I’m the Cowardly Lion.”

Several minutes passed as more actors arrived and checked the casting list. Some were happy, some sighed. Chris watched as they came in. He knew most of them. He and Angelo had started this troupe when they were in college. Only one requirement, really. Auditions were only open to men. They didn’t have to be gay, but most of them were. Either gay or bi. As was their audience. So, Chris knew most of the guys that had been through here. He had a good memory and had dated several of them. When they started the troupe, he and Angelo were dating. Angelo was the director and Chris was the star. In the beginning, Chris always got the lead. As time went on, he and Angelo had broken up. And although Angelo had assured him utter fairness when casting the shows, Chris suddenly didn’t get the leads automatically. The first time Chris didn’t get the lead, Angelo had only shrugged and suggested that Chris wasn’t always the *best* choice for the leading role. Chris had fumed. Still did. 

Because he knew almost everyone else, Chris easily picked out Timberlake when he arrived. Tall, check. Blond, check. Blue eyes, check. Cute, well, maybe if you liked *that* type. Chris fumed. Timberlake shuffled through the crowd carrying a gym bag and even showed genuine diva emotions when reading that he had been cast as Dorothy. 

Even from where he sat, Chris saw Justin fanning his face with his hand and exclaiming, “Oh my God! I never thought I would get the lead. I can’t believe I got it. Wow!” 

Chris thought Justin was a cheesy bastard. Probably an easy, cheesy bastard. “Bet he auditioned spread across Angelo’s desk with his ass in the air,” Chris mumbled. He felt a hand swat him from behind. JC.

“I swear Chris, you are a jealous bastard. Maybe the kid is good.”

“At what? Sucking cock?”

Okay, maybe he said that a little too loud. Other people glanced over. JC swatted him again. “What part did I get? Hmmm, baby? I know you know.”

“Scarecrow.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

And Lance?” JC stroked his hand across Lance’s chest.

“Tinman.”

JC leaned over to his boyfriend and kissed him again. “Well, good for us. Congratulations, sweetie. What part did you get, Chris?”

“The freakin’ Wizard.”

“Title role, babe,” Lance insisted.

Chris rolled his eyes.

Chris stewed a few more minutes watching Justin shmooze the other cast members while they waited for Angelo to arrive. When Angelo walked across the stage, heads turned. He handed the stack of scripts to Joey, then began making his opening remarks about how rehearsals were going to be conducted and when they were scheduled. Most of the actors had been around long enough to know the drill. Chris had been around long enough to mockingly mimic Angelo’s speech.

Angelo had Joey and a few other guys nearby set up enough chairs onstage for the leads, then made a great production of calling them up one by one. “As Dorothy, his first role at the Roundtable Theater, we have Justin Timberlake. JC Chasez will be the Scarecrow. Lance Bass, the Tinman. Joey Fatone, the Cowardly Lion.” Angelo continued reading the list, allowing a brief pause between names while the other actors applauded and the actor called walked onto the stage. 

Chris wasn’t even sure his role was large enough to warrant a seat on the stage. He could have been the Wicked Witch. No, he thought, he should have been Dorothy. Justin looks like a good candidate for the Good Witch Glenda. Chris was so lost in thought that he missed Angelo calling his name, until Henry slapped him on the back.

“Chris? Chris? Here he comes, Chris Kirkpatrick as the Wizard Of Oz.”

The rest of the cast sat in the audience seats nearest to the stage.

The first night was always a long session. They read through the entire script. Although Angelo mainly wanted just to go through a dry reading, he couldn’t resist making a few remarks here and there. Most of his remarks were during the songs. Reggie sat in on piano.

Chris shook his head during one song. He had already picked out Timberlake’s voice and later in the evening he swore he heard Justin singing, ‘We’re off to eat the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard Of Oz’. So he looked up and watched. Yeah, he heard it again. And this time the punk had winked at him. Chris scowled.

After the rehearsal, most of the actors headed over to the Purple Pirate. It was JC’s favorite bar because he was allowed to paw at his boyfriend in public there. Chris passed once he learned Justin had agreed to go. Instead he went back to his apartment, pulled on his favorite sweats and grabbed a beer.

When the full crew showed up, they took over at least a third of the seats at the Purple Pirate. Tonight they only took up about a quarter of it, including a long table in the back. Justin picked the right seat for his mission, the seat next to JC.

“What’s what’s the deal with this Chris guy?”

“He’ll get over it. He’s always pissy when he doesn’t get the lead and he’s doubley pissed when he doesn’t get a solo in a musical. He’ll get over it.”

“Is he going to be mad at me the whole time?”

“No, man. He’s cool. It’s just, he used to get all the leads. Now he doesn’t.”

“Since he broke up with the director,” Joey added with a smile.

“Oh, I see. Is he dating anyone now?”

“No, darling. You like them dark and moody?”

Justin nodded, “Yeah, I thought he was really cute.”

“JC used to date him,” Joey offered.

JC was already a little drunk. It didn’t take much with him. “Shush Joey. We don’t talk about that in front of Lance. He likes to think of himself as my first boyfriend.” JC collapsed back against Lance’s shoulder.

Justin spent the next hour whispering covertly with JC.

Before he left, Justin ordered a large pizza to go. Cheese only. Chris’ favorite, according to JC. And a six-pack of beer. He winked at JC as he scrambled to his feet to leave.

“Hey,” Joey called after him, “where are you going?”

Justin turned and smiled, “Why, I’m off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard Of Oz.”

Five minutes later, he showed up at Chris’ door. “Hungry?”

Chris glared at him. “Peace offering? Really not necessary, Dorothy.”

Justin didn’t wait for an invitation as he pushed his way through the door. Chris didn’t try to stop him. “This? This is a pizza offering. And this,” he said, holding up the six-pack, “is a beer offering.” He set everything down in the kitchen and winked at Chris. “I’d have to drop my pants to make you a piece offering.”

Chris rolled his eyes and headed back to his couch. 

“Where are your plates?”

Chris ignored him. Maybe if he ignored Justin, the boy would go away.

“Never mind. Found them.”

A minute later, Justin plopped himself beside Chris on the couch, holding two plates in one hand and two bottles of beer in the other. 

Chris glanced over. Cheese pizza. He licked his lips, salivating. He hadn’t eaten.

“JC said it was your favorite.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Here. Lakers game? Baby, you are a man after my own heart.”

Chris was shocked. None of his gay friends liked sports. Except for figure skating, which Chris didn’t consider to be a sport unless the skater had a stick and a puck and several other guys on the ice at the same time. “You like sports?”

“Me? Huge sports fan. HUGE. Basketball, baseball, football, hockey, I love them all.”

“College or pro?”

Justin nudged Chris’ shoulder and smiled, “Both.”

Chris smiled back, thinking this Timberlake guy wasn’t all that bad after all.

“Want to bet on the outcome, Chris? Of the game? I love betting.”

“We’re both rooting for the same team.”

“I know, but like, say the Lakers win, you get to be on top. If they lose, I get to be on top.”

“You are making me a piece offering after all, aren’t you?”

Justin winked, “You bet.”

Chris nodded, “I can live with that bet.” 

Yeah, Timberlake wasn’t such a bad guy after all.

~ END ~  
12/22/03  
© 2003 by Jacie


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